Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E VS MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E

Both the Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E are Micro-ATX motherboards featuring the AM5 CPU socket and B850 chipset. They both support Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), and Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), and include Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity. Both boards also have HDMI 2.1 for video output and offer easy overclocking capabilities. Each board includes RGB lighting and a 3-year warranty period. The form factor is identical at 244 mm x 244 mm for the Gigabyte model and 243.8 mm x 243.8 mm for the MSI, with the difference being negligible.

The key differences between the two models lie in a few specific features. The MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E includes an easy-to-reset BIOS option, which the Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E lacks. Additionally, the Gigabyte board has dual BIOS support, but the MSI model provides the same feature. Both models do not have integrated graphics or an integrated CPU, and neither supports aptX. Another similarity is that both have only one CPU socket.

Overall, while both boards offer similar core features, the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E stands out with the extra ease of resetting the BIOS, which might be useful for users who frequently tweak settings. Other than that, they are very comparable in most aspects, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and warranty period.

The Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E differ significantly in terms of memory specifications. The Gigabyte board supports a maximum memory amount of 128GB, while the MSI board allows for up to 256GB. This gives the MSI model a clear advantage if you're looking for a motherboard with higher memory capacity. In terms of RAM speed, the Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E can handle up to 5200 MHz, while the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E supports slightly faster RAM at 5600 MHz.

When it comes to overclocked RAM speeds, the Gigabyte model offers an impressive 9600 MHz, whereas the MSI model supports overclocking to 8200 MHz. This makes the Gigabyte board more capable of handling extreme memory overclocking speeds. Both boards feature DDR5 memory version and support dual-channel memory configurations, providing a good balance for performance in both cases. However, the MSI board has four memory slots, while the Gigabyte model only has two slots, which could limit expansion options for users who require more RAM modules in the future.

Additionally, the Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E supports ECC (Error-Correcting Code) memory, which is beneficial for preventing data corruption, while the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E does not support ECC memory. This could make the Gigabyte board a better option for tasks that require greater reliability in memory handling, such as certain professional or server applications.

The Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E offer a range of similar and differing port options. Both motherboards feature one HDMI output and one DisplayPort output for video connectivity. They also both include one RJ45 Ethernet port for networking. The Gigabyte model has a total of 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-A) port, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-A) ports, 1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-C) port, and 2 USB 2.0 ports. Additionally, it has one PS/2 port and does not include any Thunderbolt, USB 4, or eSATA ports.

The MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E, on the other hand, offers a broader selection of USB ports. It includes 4 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-A) ports, 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-A) ports, and 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) port. Unlike the Gigabyte board, it has no USB 2.0 ports. The MSI board does not have a PS/2 port, but it includes all the same video outputs, including HDMI and DisplayPort. Both models lack Thunderbolt 4 or 3 ports, USB 4 40Gbps or 20Gbps ports, eSATA ports, and DVI outputs, while neither includes a VGA connector.

One important difference is that the Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E has a PS/2 port, which the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E does not. Additionally, the MSI model offers more USB ports overall, with a total of 9 USB ports (vs. 6 on the Gigabyte). Both motherboards have USB Type-C support, but in the case of the MSI board, it includes an extra USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) port. The differences in USB port availability and the inclusion of the PS/2 port on the Gigabyte model may appeal to users with specific peripheral needs.

When comparing the Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E in terms of connectors, both motherboards are quite similar but have some small differences. Both offer 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (through expansion), 4 USB 2.0 ports (through expansion), and 2 USB 3.0 ports (through expansion). They also both feature 4 SATA 3 connectors for storage devices, and neither supports SATA 2 connectors or U.2 sockets. Both motherboards include a TPM connector for added security, though neither supports an mSATA connector.

The Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E offers 3 M.2 sockets, while the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E has only 2 M.2 sockets. This gives the Gigabyte board a slight advantage in terms of M.2 storage expansion options. Additionally, the Gigabyte model includes 4 fan headers, while the MSI model has 5, offering slightly more flexibility for cooling solutions.

Overall, both boards provide a very similar set of connectors, with the Gigabyte model offering a few more M.2 sockets and the MSI model having an extra fan header. Both motherboards offer the essential connectivity options, but these minor differences could influence users depending on their specific expansion or cooling needs.

The Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E differ in their PCIe slot configurations. The Gigabyte model includes one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and one PCIe x4 slot, but it does not have any PCIe 4.0 x16 or PCIe 3.0 x16 slots. On the other hand, the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E has one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and two PCIe x1 slots, but it lacks both PCIe 5.0 x16 and PCIe x4 slots.

Neither board includes any PCI slots, PCIe 2.0 x16 slots, or PCIe x8 slots, so the available expansion options in those areas are identical. The Gigabyte board’s inclusion of a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot provides future-proofing for the latest GPUs, while the MSI board’s PCIe 4.0 x16 slot offers support for a broad range of current-generation components.

In summary, the Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E has an advantage in terms of PCIe 5.0 support, whereas the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E offers more flexibility with two PCIe x1 slots. The decision between these two boards may depend on whether you prioritize the latest PCIe technology or require more expansion slots for smaller add-ons.

In terms of audio features, the Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E are nearly identical. Both motherboards support 7.1 audio channels, providing a high-quality surround sound experience. They also both feature 3 audio connectors, offering the necessary ports for connecting audio devices.

Neither board includes an S/PDIF Out port, so users seeking digital audio output from either motherboard will need to look elsewhere for that feature. Overall, the audio specifications are very similar between the two models, with no notable differences in terms of channel support, audio connectors, or S/PDIF output.

The storage capabilities of the Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E are quite similar, with both motherboards supporting RAID 1 and RAID 10 (1+0) configurations for redundancy and performance. However, there is a key difference in their RAID 5 support. The Gigabyte model supports RAID 5, while the MSI model does not. Both boards do not support RAID 0+1, which combines RAID 0 and RAID 1.

In terms of RAID 0, both models support it, allowing users to configure their storage for performance with striping. This ensures both motherboards provide essential RAID options for various storage needs, though the Gigabyte model offers the additional flexibility of RAID 5, which is typically used for larger setups requiring redundancy and performance.

Overall, the Gigabyte B850M Force Wi-Fi6E offers slightly more versatility in storage configurations with RAID 5 support, while the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E limits users to RAID 1, RAID 10, and RAID 0 without RAID 5 support.